Mindtease

Chapter 9

"I didn't want it this way," Josh said flatly his voice husky with beer. "I didn't want it..." Josh's voice trailed off.

Kirk sat on his bed, watching a re-run of an old seventies television sitcom. Josh had gotten drunk while he was out getting some food that was untouched. Undoubtedly, while Kirk walked a few blocks to get some breakfast to go for dinner, Josh had hit the beer hard, and gone out to get some more after.

Kirk wondered what had set Josh off, they had horsed around for a while, and then watched a movie. Kirk had suggested getting some buttermilk pancakes, sausage, juice for dinner, and Josh had agreed, giving him money for the food. But when Kirk got back, he found Josh laying on his bed in his boxers, the television on, but Josh teary eyed staring at the ceiling in some deep melancholy.

"Josh," Kirk asked, "what's up?"

"Oh..." Josh started, his voice slurred, "nothing much."

"You..." Kirk began to ask.

"I'm fine..." Josh said coldly, distantly.

Kirk was about to ask again, but thought better of it.

"Good move."

"What Josh?"

"Nothing Kirk."

Kirk sighed in slight annoyance, and opted to freshen up.

"Shower time for me."

"Great..."

Kirk looked to the food in the brown paper bag, and decided to eat his portion once he had showered. Josh was crying silently, still staring at the ceiling, the television a distant noise.

Kirk again was about to speak, but thought better of it. Josh was trapped in an emotional quagmire, lost in his own thoughts...for now.

Opening a bag of new clothes, Kirk grabbed some fresh boxer briefs, black socks, and some grey sweats. Kirk disrobed quickly, pulling of his socks, shoes, and then T-shirt along with his shorts.

"Hey Joshy, save some beer for me."

"Okay."

With a backward glance at Josh, Kirk strode to the bathroom, leaving Josh to his own self...at least in the moment.

# # #

Kirk brushed his sandy brown hair with a comb, listening to the sound of the shower, and enjoying the hot steam in the confined space of the bathroom. Grabbing a towel, Kirk wiped an elliptical spot to see himself in the mirror.

Kirk had already shaved away the faint stubble, although he still was like a kid that was just hitting puberty with his facial hair--at best it was thin after a few days. Kirk was something of an opposite to Josh, baby-faced and bare, whereas Josh always seemed to be close to a five o'clock shadow. Rubbing his face to double check, Kirk pulled off his boxers and stepped into the stream of hot water, relishing the hot blast of water against himself.

# # #

Kirk ran his hands through his somewhat long, flowing hair to rinse away any shampoo, as he leaned forward into the shower spray. Massaging his scalp, Kirk stood upright, flipping his mass of hair backwards. Turning around, Kirk let the spray of water wash through his tangle of hair, letting the water untangle the sodden mass.

Kirk checked himself one more time before finishing, and looked at his naked self in the steamed over mirror.

Clean and washed.

Stepping out of the shower, Kirk quickly toweled himself off in the steamy fog of the bathroom, and then dried his hair. Using a brush, Kirk brushed his hair backwards. His hair was long enough to be noticeable, but not long enough to reach his shoulders...yet.